Page:Marquis de Sade - Adelaide of Brunswick.djvu/140

 other, another carriage appeared. It seemed to be in a hurry and it looked as if the powerful horses which were rushing forward would knock their little carriage off the road. Adelaide was terrified. Her own horses became frightened now and although the other carriage had stopped, it looked as if all the danger would come from her own steeds which had begun to run rapidly along the dangerous road. The slightest pebble might have precipitated them to their destruction. All seemed lost when a man appeared from the other carriage and at a great risk of losing his own life jumped at the bridles of the two horses and succeeded in bringing them to a stop and in calming their excitement. The danger was suddenly over. What was the surprise of Adelaide in recognizing her liberator. It was Dourlach!

"What! Dourlach … Yes, it is he," cried the princess.

"Oh, Milady," said Dourlach recognizing Adelaide, "what is this new piece of good luck that I have. After having saved you from the fury of the margrave, I have the privilege of saving you in another perilous situation."

Adelaide threw herself into the arms of such a dear friend; "It is you, you whom I thought the margrave had punished with the worst kind of death. How delightful it is to find that you are still living. You must have thought that I did not treat you right at Krimpser's."

"No, I knew that you had to act as you did … But let's hurry to leave this dangerous road. The town of Regensburg is very near here and I am going there to visit a sister who will be only too happy to see you. Permit me to take you there and then once in safety, I can tell you of the events which have given me my freedom from the margrave and the means of being of service to you now."

They soon reached a river where a boat offered to the travelers a surer way of reaching Regensburg than that of the horrible roads.

They were soon at the home of Dourlach's sister who had married well in that town. After a very agreeable reception and some hours of refreshments and conversation, Dourlach told Adelaide and Bathilda that having been sent by Krimpser to the margrave, the latter after having wished to kill him and